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Knowledge And Attitude Of Adolescents Towards The Prevention Of Obesity in Agege LGA Lagos State

Knowledge And Attitude Of Adolescents Towards The Prevention Of Obesity in Agege LGA Lagos State

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KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF ADOLESCENTS TOWARDS THE PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN AGEGE LGA, LAGOS STATE (Chapter 1-5)

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Non communicable diseases have overtaken communicable diseases as the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria (Sani, Wahab, Yusuf Gbadamosi, Hohnson and Gbadomosi (2010). The changing disease pattern has been traditionally attributed to recent advances in medicine resulting in the development of drugs and vaccines for the effective control of communicable diseases. Other factors driving this transition include changes in diet, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and inadequate exercise. There is also rural to urban as well as fetal malnutrition, which predisposes individuals to the development of non-communicable diseases, among which is obesity.

According to Vanguard (October 17, 2010) it called obesity a new silent killer in town. It joins the ranks of malnutrition, malaria, hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS etc and we are eating our way to the grave. This does not come as a surprise. Globally, the epidemic is growing. It is a substantial public-health crisis in the developed world, but the prevalence is increasing nations worldwide. In Nigeria, obesity is visible. In 1996, the Associated pre-cited the world Health organization that more than one-third of African women and a quarter of African men are estimated to be overweight and predicted that it will rise to 41 percent and 30 percent respectively by 2016. Once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low and middle income countries, particularly in urban settings. There are several classifications and definitions of obesity, however, the one commonly adopted is the definition by World Health Organization (WHO), which defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30kg/m2 or more (World Health Organization 1995), quadrupled in the past 30 years (Ogden, Carrol, Kit and Flegal 2014). The percentage of adolescents aged 12-19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period/National centre for Health Statistics, United States 2011). The prevalence of obesity among school children in Nigeria according to Akesode and Ajibola (1983) was very high and preventable socio-economic factors were responsible for the high prevalence. Also in a research study conducted by Oduwole, Ladapo, Fajolu, Ekuru and Adeniyi (2012) obesity and elevated pressure among adolescents in Lagos State was high and they suggested that screening for childhood obesity and hypertension and long-term follow-up of obese adolescents into adulthood were necessary.

Obesity is the excess accumulation of body fat. It results from an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Excesses in adipose tissue mass also can be viewed as a pathological derangement in feedback between energy intake and energy expenditure (Eckel 2003). As one of escalating global epidemic (WHO 1998) it is seen as one of today’s most blatantly visible “ yet most neglected public health problems and is linked with non-communicable disorders like hypertension, obstructive sleepappnea, type 2 diabetes, mellitus, stroke, arthritis, coronary heart disease, breast and prostrate cancer (Azizi, Rahmani and Emami (2002). In 2005; the world Health Organization reported that the prevalence of obesity in sub-saharan African countries ranges between 3.3% and 18.0% and that obesity has become leading risk factor for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases in the urban areas of Africa. What was seen among adults is now observed in adolescent (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Mcdowell, Yabak and Flegal 2006) and has reached an epidemic proportion in developed countries and is now being seen in developing countries and this is of great concern. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of obesity in Agege LGA.

Statement of the Problem

Millions of people worldwide are overweight or obese puts them at risk for many health problems. The more body fat an individual have, the more the person weigh and the more likely the person will be to develop coronary heart diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gall stones, breathing problems and certain cancers like cancer of the breast, colon; esophagus, prostrate, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder cervix (Kushi, Byers, Doyle, Bander, McCullough and Gansler 2006).

Low income families have greater obstacles to overcome in addressing the problem of obesity. Low income families have less access to healthy food choices and safe, affordable opportunities for physical activities for their children. Also, the absence of facilities and equipment for physical activities in schools also pose problem of obesity among adolescents. This research therefore intends to focus on the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of obesity in Agege LGA, Lagos State.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this is to investigate the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of obesity in Agege Local Government secondary schools. Specifically, the intended to:

  1. Find out the influence of age on knowledge and attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity
  2. Find out if the knowledge of sedentary living will influence the knowledge and attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity
  3. Investigate if the knowledge of diet will influence the attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of obesity.
  4. Investigate if the knowledge of genetics will influence the attitude of adolescents towards the prevention of obesity
  5. Examine if peer influence will affect the knowledge and attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity

 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study;

  1. Will the age influence the knowledge and attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity?
  2. What are the adolescents’ perceptions of the influence of sedentary living on the knowledge and prevention of obesity?
  3. Is there any influence of the knowledge of diet on the attitude of adolescents Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity?
  4. Will the knowledge of genetics influence the attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity?
  5. Is there any influence of peers on adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards the prevention of obesity?

 Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses will be tested in this study:

  1. There will be no significant influence of age on the knowledge and attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity
  2. Adolescents’ perceptions of sedentary living will not significantly influence the attitude towards the prevention of obesity
  3. The knowledge about diet will not significantly influence the attitude of adolescents Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity
  4. The knowledge of genetics will not significantly influence the attitude of adolescents in Agege Local Government towards the prevention of obesity
  5. Peers will not significantly influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards the prevention of obesity

 Significance of the Study

The study when fully completed may be significant in the following ways:

  1. It will help adolescents to be well-informed about obesity and make them healthier, wealthier and better educated; maintain a healthy weight by being more aware of their food environment and how it affects what they eat.
  2. Provide parents with the more knowledge about the need for their children to have adequate meals
  3. Provide a guide for other researchers who may want to embark of a study similar to this study.

Scope and Delimitation of the study

This research will be delimited to the age of adolescents, knowledge of diet, peer influence, knowledge of sedentary living and genetics towards the control of obesity. A simple random sampling method for the sample design using 200 secondary school adolescents from Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Operational Definition of Terms

  1. Age: This has to do with the date of birth of the respondents. It is generally believed that one is wiser as one grow older.
  2. Diet: This is the kind or varieties of food adolescents eat
  3. Peer: A group that adolescent moves with in school or at home
  4. Sedentary living: A lifestyle that involves one to be sitting in one place for a long time
  5. Genetics: This has to do with the chromosomes and genes which can be transferred from parents to the offspring
  6. Prevention: The act of stopping something (such as an illness or injury) from happening or arising.
  7. Obesity: The state of being well above one’s normal weight.
  8. Adolescent: A young person who has undergone puberty but who has not reached full maturity.

Project Overview

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